


Ballad of Éowyn

by Plant_Murderer



Series: Songs of Rohan [2]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alliteration, Epic Poetry, F/M, Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:15:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28804152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plant_Murderer/pseuds/Plant_Murderer
Summary: Éowyn's story is here,  done in alliterative verse (the style of the poems/songs in the book associated with Rohan).  From her childhood the granddaughter and niece of a king, to her journey to becoming a warrior and her battle with the Witch king and beyond, you've heard the tales of her uncle and brother but....Greater than either, the shield-maiden ÉowynUnmatched, unstained, and undimmed still by time,Deeds out of legend and desperate defiance,dared she, sister-daughter of king, glory seeking
Relationships: Aragorn | Estel & Éowyn, Éowyn & Théoden Ednew, Éowyn/Faramir (Son of Denethor II)
Series: Songs of Rohan [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1793701
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Ballad of Éowyn

Long as the hall stands, live hearth-tales of horse lords

Long as live free men fierce-hearted and fell,

Songs bear the bold names, the brave deeds of Rohan

Hale house of Eorl high honor yet holds.

Théoden Thengel’s son thus men make much of,

True though the tales of the horns at Helm’s Deep,

Whole hosts of orc-kind and Men marked by malice

Fled fearful before him, from doom to death shade.

Éomer also the men oft remember,

Fey, forth he fought, fell against Mordor’s might,

Faithful and fearless though hope had forsook him,

Éomund’s heir urged the Mark to fight on.

Greater than either, the shield-maiden Éowyn

Unmatched, unstained, and undimmed still by time,

Deeds out of legend and desperate defiance,

dared she, sister-daughter of king, glory seeking

-

Child of chief Marshall of Théoden’s Mark

Of Théodwyn shield-woman sure in her strength,

till Éomund fell and Théodwyn went after

in Meduseld mead-hall the masses much mourned

Éowyn saw then the safety in staying,

how those without wounds may of worse meet their ends

Loss learned the lady, sword she learned also,

When sorrow slipped in next she’d strike swift to save.

\--- 

Growing the girl-child at Théoden’s knee sat,

The lady of Rohan learned swift as a steed,

Her cousin she cherished, to brother oft called she,

“I’ll ride soon for Riddermark. Mark, marshal’s son.”

And oft was reminded and reined in to purpose,

And set in the to the tasks of a shield-maiden strong,

Though sword skills she mastered to strike as a soldier,

Though hope of a helm dimmed as days longer drew.

Too soon the shadows grew, too soon the worm-tongue,

But late she saw ill speech on sworn king work woe,

Grim Grima, her steps dogged. her kin’s hope he sundered.

As sovereign slept restless, she heard people’s plight.

Stalwart she stood, though the fields seemed falter,

Though fast held foundations seemed fragile and frail,

Edoras looked to Eorl’s line and found it,

In her and her kinsman, a light keen in shade

Her brother and cousin rode out to redeem lands,

To war-work to wipe their world clean of orc waste,

She kept her mother’s kin, plied with his pity,

Sought ever to see her king strong as before.

Théodred fell, though he fought and fought fiercely,

Éomer exiled, a host at his side,

Éowyn left, a lost hope light for Rohan,

Till rode in four fellows, one old, garbed in Grey.

Fires rekindled, she saw, joy unceasing,

Her sovereign, stood proudly his sword swung to height,

Mourned they with many o’re Théodred’s passing,

But tiding drew closer, and thoughts turned to war

\---

Éowyn stood stalwart still in the doorway,

Háma had held her name high in esteem,

last Eorl lady, left ruling the remnants,

as great men made haste to Hornburg and great deeds

Éowyn’s head bent, beheld grass beyond gates.

She wondered in grief at the flowers that grew,

Symbelmyne sprouting above sleeping kinfolk

as she led the living that no more be lost

Fast to the aide of the ill and the injured,

Éowyn went though her heart to Helm’s Deep,

fared with her friends new, and warriors worthy.

She wanted to win with them glory worth songs.

Instead she set store and set men as could manage,

to task of leave taking, for all must away,

up from the home-plains to camp and seek safety.

She led them from Théoden’s hall on third day.

She called “Now to the reins and the road and the roaming,

shield-maidens, children, Child-bearers, and kin,

Now to the succor, set course swift as Snowmane ,

to hillside, to harrow, to hope of bright dawn

Nights went near newsless. The lady, left longing,

looked long o'er the spring soft stretches they passed.

Listened she ever for hoofbeat and horn-call.

Home-tents, she set out and hope, she held fast

Then came the win-song, the wind in the banners,

The trumpeting calls of hale men, hearty hailing.

Like lords out of legend came they much looked for

Arrived and alighted them, whole, undismayed

At nightfall all greeted the starlight touched elf kind,

And man many whispered would one day be king

In white walls o’er war weary, long waiting Gondor,

In grey garb his guardsmen gave gifts of great worth,

Word-hordes they oped heaving out tales of slaughter

Black blooded brutes bearing mark of white hand,

Bested at cost and by might of some magic,

Trees turned to troll-kind to slay, feast, and walk

Éowyn listened envy ever growing

Was she not shield maiden and sword-trained and strong?

Strong to what end? Strong to succor sick only?

Strongest of women, a story unsung.

Ate she with Aragorn, eagerly asking him,

Why he had honored them, healing their hopes?

His haste she gave thanks for, his heart, and his kindness.

Grave news he gave her. He’d take the dead road.

Paling, she pled with him, “See sense, seek solace

In setting thy course with my kinsman once more.

Strong men and storied, should strike blows in battle,

Not ride to their ruin, on roads for the dead”

“On perilous paths, perforce, doom deems to drive me,

If I had the reign and reins and the right,

In Rivendell I’d ride, to my own heart's harbor,

Duty demands I dare darkness instead.”

“Duty encroaches,” she spoke, sorrow growing,

“Undermines all whene'er I seek to act,

If going is given, grant that I go with thee,

To follow with gray ones, give aid as I may.”

“Few have the office to end now your oath tasks,

Few and too far, for fast I would fain fly,

Duty demands, and honor has high price,

Leave neither lightly to come without call.”

“Call do I make for myself, as your men do,

Their call to your company comes but from love.

Fast you would fain fly? Fie thou, born to freedom

for I, cage-conceived, have still more need of haste!”

“Pled with me first to remain with your riders,”

He replied and reminded her. She shook her head,

“Bid you brave battle, and so glory garner,

Too precious a fair life to waste without need”

“On this, agreed, shield-maid then stay thou.”

Hearing this sentence, she slipped to tent-home.

At dawn, dressed for battle, she brought to him leave-cup,

To their good speed she sipped, though her heart heavy weighed.

He left blessing for blood-kin, and words for her brother,

Left her, as she sought still to sally, to strive,

She stood stalwart once more, back straight though her tears trekked,

Again left to linger as greats galloped on

“No more”, swore she softly as men marched to shadow,

“I won't be left idle as all i seek flies.”

She made masses ready to greet king who’d conquered, 

But gathered she goods for a perilous plan. 

\---

Cloud-cover came and a day dawned in darkness

Théoden king mustered marshals and arms, 

Merry the holbytla brave begged to help him,

For love he’d be left. Éowyn found her like, 

Gear for him gathered she, plan she augmented, 

A woman she chose would hold oaths in her stead,

And still yet in secret, for king would condemn her, 

To cage and old age with no deeds to her name. 

How bitter the parting in Hold at The harrow, 

She wept true tears, for the loss, to be left, 

She should by kin ride, but must sneak silent after, 

Her name set aside that her hopes might have life.

Will wanting only the way and it’s op’ning, 

She found herself favored by fortune in truth, 

Just one marked her meeting with men and with Merry, 

as out from the mead-hall they made swift to war,

his bearer unknown Merry, blessed still their meet-hour , 

Windfola bore them, unburdened and bold, 

One under cloak fold, though both were helm-hidden, 

They darted through darkness to save Sea-kings’s realm.

Wild men once hunted helped guide them to Gondor, 

Bypassing barriers, trenches and toil, 

To smoke-smell and shadow-cursed ash-blighted city

Siege scarred and burning, un-broken but bent

\---

Dark was the dream in which Dernhelm did founder, 

Dark as the sky, and the death-screams and dirt, 

Wind alone woke him, and gave but a glimmer, 

Dawn beyond darkness, though doom lay close by

Dernhelm at horn-call and king-call went chasing, 

Riding at last to ruin of foes, slashing he struck 

And bleeding before him broke wave upon wave 

Of orc-kind and their like. 

Gone was the glory, that dream of gold hours 

Gone the dread-image of idleness feared, 

No word had weight then, two names only held him. 

Théoden King-kin, and Merry, his charge. 

Screams spilled around them, the sources unnoted. 

Shadow then deepened, would not be denied, 

Windfola, Shadowmane wisdom abandoned them, 

She cast her cargo and he crushed his king. 

Dernhelm did meet air but Éowyn landed, 

Made glance for Merry but swiftly she stood,

Steel crowned the Witch king had come for her kinsman

Faithful beyond fear she’d see him fall first. 

Bitter the tears, mother’s brother was broken,

Dying but daughter she was did not care 

Dwimmerlaik, Carrion Lord could not have him

“Do as you will, I will hinder your harm!” 

“Fool art thou! Fie, feckless offspring of feeble men,

Hinder me? Lord of the dark deathless kings?

Doom-touched that no living man may deny me, 

Forward I’ll go and defile your dead kin” 

“No living man may, but maiden now meets you!

Éowyn, Eomund’s daughter defies, 

Lord and kin lay now before you, foul Nazgul 

See that I’ll smite you if touch him you dare”

Here now he hesitates, beast moves before him, 

Shrieking to strike, but sword in her hand, 

Honed like her own heart, like love for her liege-lord, 

Cleaved head from foul neck ere moment had passed 

Sun in her hair where there once had been shadow, 

Shield in her hand splintered at her foe’s swing, 

Falling to knee, fey with death now before her, 

She faced the foul shade undaunted by fear 

Merry, her charge and her friend, her own likeness, 

He who’d have been left, at mead-hall to mourn,

But for her good heart and good steed that bore them

Repaid her efforts, he struck swift and smart 

As he struck sinew he called her by true name, 

Éowyn rallied and raised her bright blade, 

Piercing the place between steel crown and collar, 

She fell as he death-wail was lost to the wind 

\---

Dearer than daughter, she heard in the distance, 

So named by king at whose knee she had grown, 

Wounded past weeping she lay barely lingering 

Farewell he bid her, last order in life. 

Men bore her body, her mind left meandering, 

Far now the horns, the fey cries of the fell, 

King’s order followed she, clung she with slipping strength, 

Fared she on winds well, well nie to death’s door, 

World-wise Dol Amroth’s prince saw life and saved it, 

Hastened to healing halls, heroine slept, 

Dark dreams again for Dernhelm, for kings’ Daughter,

Hope’s end and heartbreak her warring soul saw 

Oh how the black breath the wraith spirit smothered her, 

Saw herself stranded alone and unheard, 

King lost and lost again, Éomer ever-gone 

Banished, then battle borne, broken in war 

Théodwyn’s Daughter then saw what her mother had, 

Heard then the heartsong, the last hope, the end, 

But for the air, new and pure as though holy, 

But for kings’ calls to death’s halls she’d have fled. 

\---

Waking, though weary, some names she remembered, 

Asked after fallen king, asked after friend, 

High honor she heaped on them, living and lost one,

Sought she a saddle and deeds still to dare.

Hale after healing but heart sore she stood herself

Peering from o’re pelennor from garden tower 

Hope journeyed eastward but Éowyn hindered 

By wounds and by orders waited once more 

Faramir found her there, fondly he looked on her 

Fair haired, fair hearted, and lovely though lost 

Snowdrop in garden, blessed omen of bounty, 

Beloved of kings, now by steward sought 

Éowyn looked on him, light-touched his eyes were, 

Beacons well lit in the lingering gloom, 

Drawing her westward, away from the darkness, 

Calling her name as if waking her new. 

Now for the turn, of the tides and ages, 

Now golden glory, contentment could buy,

Hours she passed in the houses of healing, 

When kings again called for her still she did stay 

Stewart was sent to her, seeing her struggling, 

Stood they by garden wall speaking again. 

Love he then spoke to her, clearly as snowmelt, 

Love she soon shone on him, warm as the sun. 

Éowyn envied no more then the warriors, 

Sought she no longer the sword for its blade, 

Deeds had she done to make great queens her equal, 

Her hands would heal, as had those of great kings

\---

Long as the hall stands, her memory lingers 

Long as live free men fierce-hearted and fell,

Songs bear the bold deeds, the brave heart of Éowyn

Down through the ages, undimmed and unstained 

So sing the song of Ithilien’s white lady, 

So sing the song of the Dernhelm and his deeds

So sing the song of the Shieldmaiden Éowyn

Healer and warrior, daughter of kings 

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading this, please let me know what you think, your options for that are known to you. Hope everyone has a better year than last year, a better day than yesterday, and the strength/courage/willingess to pierce the darkness whenever it looms.


End file.
